Walking beam mounting for tandem axles



D68. 20. 1949 CQLLENDER 2,492,126

WALKING BEAM MOUNTING FOR TANDEM AXLES Filed NOV. 1,. 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 a3 ti :Jwuemfo'b f/G Gasmv: A Collin/05R 6 2 2 t 0 e WN 2 m -5 w s 2 a 3 w e w. h J a 4 w 2., w M Z G 2 7 2 K a m e. A. COLLENDER WALKING BEAM MOUNTING FOR TANDEM AXLES Dec. 20, 1949 Filed Nov 1 1945 1949 I G. A. COLLENDER 2,492,126

. WALKING BEAM MOUNTING FOR TANDEI AXLES F1106 NOV. 1, 1945; 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALKING BEAM MOUNTING FOB TANDEM AXLES Gustave A. Collender, Les Angelcs, Calif. Application November 1, 1945, Serial No. 628,035

7 Claims. (Cl. 280-1045) l 2 We invention relates to suspension means for of the following description when taken in conthe chassis framework of a vehicle junction with the accompanying drawings and W acts of closely spaced tandem wheels. the appended claims. In the drawings:

,, m, Mcmgrly the present invention is Fig. I is a top plan view of the rear end of a l with improvements in a suspension 5 chassis embodying the present invention, one n. of the type em y ng a walking dual wheel being removed and several of the m designed to pivotally support the frame other parts being shown in section to simplify f its ends and earning laterally extended the disclosure.

m spindle axles at its ends. In such de- Fig. II is a view taken approximately along the the load is transmitted from the axles to lo irregular line 11-41 in Fig. I, which line includes in lanes located well outwardly from a segment F permitting inboard and outboard dism m proper, with the results that closure of identical parts in a single view.

forces are exerted tending to twist the Fig. III represents a front elevational view of arms about their area, and that twisting a major portion of the rear drive unit, taken subm at up in the region of the trlml5 stantially along the vertical plane of line III-III musing excessive wear and tending to rupin Fig. I, but with a portion of the framework m m m mg, and associated parts shown in vertical section.

we it is the primary object of my in- Fig. IV is a top plan view of my improved walkmin to devise a walking beam mounting ing beam assembly as incorporated in Figs. I to the load is transmitted through two or so III.

bearings from the transverse mem- Fig. V is a face or outside elevational view of that forms the trunnion. to the walking the assembly of Fig. IV. Thi preferablyls accomplished by strad- Fig. VI represents a section taken upon the w th longitudinal frame member with a plane of line VI-VI, Fig. V.

w gs in such manner that the walking Fig. VII is an elevational view looking towards amid can oscillate in a vertical plane outthe outboard face of one of the jackshaft housing tram the frame. mountings seen in Figs. I and III.

thil connection, it is an object of this in- Fig. VIII is a side elevational view of the brackin project the cross shaft or jack shaft et of Fig. VII. n o the trunnion member, later- Fig. IX is an elevational view of one face of M1 the longitudinal frame member and one of the inboard bearing brackets for the walkw cradle and reenforce it so that "5 ins beam.

g sturd beam support at each side of Fig. x represents a vertical section taken on member. the plane of line X-X, Fig. IX.

important object of the present in- With continued reference to the drawings, and

W in the provision of a new and with particular reference first to Fig. I, the chasstructure for securing the endsofan sis framework comprises a pair of longitudinal i w housing to the side members of members I! and I3, preferably steel I-beamsiden- H "mm tlcal in formation but numbered separately to mg mg: major object to devise an avoid confusion in later discussion. The framesmgmg beam for tandem wheeled vework is of course completed by cross members u, or the type that is rigid and designed (not shown), and is designed to carry any suit- Mtillate about an axis transverse to the able load. Since this invention is primarily concerned with an undercarriage for heavy cranes, an object to cast a partially hollow walk- 5 the tractive power is shown as applied downwardm from t l o tron alloys, the 1y from the crane power plant (not shown) by mm preferably being separately formed means of a hollow vertical propeller shaft II.

t m th nd of thecast beam. The lower end of this shaft is keyed to a short g, further object to form a rigid walking shaft it which in turn is secured to bevel gear till a transverse bearing intermediate its it, suitable bearings and support for these parts and to secure thereto an underslung being ail'orded by a housing unit II. This houscarrying a second bearing in laterally ing also carries a bevel gear I! in mesh with Mutton to the first bearing. gear It and is secured to the power input end and other important objects of of a speed change transmissionunlt 20. The outshould clearly appear from a study as put and is supported by a casing section 2| that be. so. 19 0 2,492,126 I is secured to a conventional axle housing differential bowl 22.

' The internal driving mechanism forms no part of the invention and hence is sketchily illustrated. The transmissionunit 26 may be two-speed or multi-speed, of any suitable design but preferably comprising internal mechanism such as disclosed in my copending applications, Ser. No. 567,330 filed December 9,1944 and now abandoned; and Ser. No. 591,286 filed May 1, 1945. These applications also disclose the transmission control mechanisms.

The bowl 22 has rigid extension sleeves 23 of special design to be supported by the frame members l2, I3, the assembly forming a jack shaft housin for axle shafts 24 that are differentially driven in conventional manner. The outer ends of the shafts are journaled in bearings 25 carried by the sleeve ends and are splined at 26 to drive a pair of dual sprocket wheels 21. Two pairs of chains 28 encompass these sprocket wheels and four associated sprocket plates 30, individual to and secured to the brake drums 29 of four dual wheel units 3| to drive the latter.

Each dual wheel 3| is rotatable upon the outer end of a spindle or stub axle 32, suitable bearings and retainers being provided that form no part of this invention. The inner ends 33 of the spindles are enlarged and set tightly into the ends of rigid walking beams 34, the latter being centrally apertured and rotatably mounted upon Sleeve bearings 35 that surround the outer ends of the axle housing sleeves 23. The walking beams have cylindrical onset extensions 35, and each is engaged by a circular plate 31 secured to one of the sleeves 23 by cap screws. The plates 31 thus serve to seal and retain the bearings 25, and also to hold the walking beams against outward removal.

As seen in Figs. 1 and III, the I-beams l2 and I3 are strengthened in the region of the sleeves 23 by relatively heavy plates 38 which snugly fit within their side channels. A member 40 (see also Figs. VII and VIII). one at each side of the frame, has a sleeve 4! which snugly receives a stepped up enlargement of the corresponding end of the axle housing, and a flanged rim 42 which is secured to the plates 38 and the I-beam by through bolts 43. The plates 38, like the I-beam, of course had-to be slotted upwardly from their bottom edges to permit the sleeves 23 and 4| to be moved up into the resulting archlike notches.

Each member 40 has a pair of integral wings which extend longitudinally along the bottom of the I-beam to close the slots, and further reenforcement of the weakened section is afforded by thickening the ends of the wings to provide lugs 45 which confine a pair of short plates 46 that are welded to the bottom of the I-beam at opposite sides of the notch. The lugs 45 may be integral with the wings or welded on, and they aid in looking the entire drive unit against fore and aft shifting.

Each walking beam 34, previously described in a general way comprises a main body cast to such shape, with internal chambers 41 and 48 and associated hub and ribs, as to afford maximum strength and considerable shock absorption not present in the conventional solid beam. The hub divides the beam into a pair of downwardly sloping arms to afford a very low center of gravity while permitting suflicient oscillation for a heavy duty vehicle with unsprung axle. The degree of 4 slope may be varied to adapt the beam to vehicles of other designs.

At each end of each beam there is an eye 48, either formed integral or welded in position, for cooperation with a plural-eyed unit 50, for support of conventional wheel-brake actuating mechanism comprising a linkage 5| and a fluid servomotor 52 for operating the linkage. The brakes and their connections to the hnkages are not.

shown. The motors 52 are mounted upon brackets 53 that are securely underslung from plates 54 welded or otherwise secured to the inclined bottom surfaces of the beam bodies.

There are two of the plates 54 to each beam, spaced and inclined as shown and separated by a fiat plate 55 to which they are welded at their edges, the three united plates extending laterally inboard from the beam to provide a platform for an inboard bearing unit indicated in entirety by the numeral 56. This bearing can be slipped over the end or an axle sleeve 23 and onto a stepped up enlargement of the latter during initial assembly, and has a pair of integral legs 51 having feet 58 provided with bolt holes 60. The feetmay be welded to the platform, but detachable bolts are preferable to facilitate assembly of a structure where there are two bearings that ultimately must be aligned.

The internal contact surface of the bearing unit 56 is grooved at 6i to receive lubricant from an oil injection inlet 62. In similar fashion, a tube 63 may be incorporated in the hub of each walking beam to supply lubricant to its sleeve bearing 35.

As shown in Figs. IV and V, each end of each beam body 34 may be equipped with an integral or welded on stop lug 64 that makes contact with one or the other I-beams l2 or l3 after predeter- 'mined oscillation of the walking beam. This is to prevent a crane platformor similar supported structure from engaging and damaging the rubber tires. The lugs are strong enough to lift the load when the frame I-beams ride upon them.

The operational functions of the various parts now should be fairly obvious, but a concise resume of the mode of assembly of the walking beam mounting may be helpful. The bearing units 56 must first be pierced by the axle sleeves 23 and moved inwardly until they are seated in ultimate working positions. After slotting of the I-beams l2, l3, the axle housing sleeves 23 (bolted to the bowl 22) are elevated into position. The plates 38 then are placed in position and the members 46 are slipped over the ends of the sleeves 23 and bolted to said plates and I-beams. Then the walking beams are slipped over the end of sleeves 23 (bearing 35 havin been previously added), to dispose their platforms (54, 55) adjacent the bearing units 56 which next. are bolted thereto.

Upon insertion of the axle shafts 24, and addition of the bearings 25, the plates 31 are secured to the sleeves 36. Then the dual sprocket; wheels 21 are secured to the splined ends of the axle shafts. The methods of adding the sprocket chains and dual wheels are conventional and need not be explained here.

Obviously, numerous changes in general design and details of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, I Wish to be limited, as is customary, only by a reasonably liberal interpretation of the scope of the appended claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle having longitudinal side frame I from end memberhavin'gitsendsexthrough said platelike portions i 1 to term trunnions for reception of it i reenlorcement plates pp u! said piatelikep l'tions in the re- 1 member, asleeve'within a, portion and .surrounding the member affording a radiating flange uh set 01' reeni'oreement plates, and

ms uniting each set otplates and its to its adjacent platelike 901'- m at the side frame members.

"W 1 m ombinationset torth inclaim 1. snugly fitted to said'transversi;

partially surrounded by n 0 laid iiangesbeing integral Welcome.

having a pair oi longl-x name mounted oneach cndoi said Wunltlrotatablyoonnectedtoand theendsotthewalkingbeamaa m below the i'ramerll P 3 loeurely momma i a m m arranged on t m, beam audits associ m and reemoroing mm hmgdiagtportionotitswohumanism earrledby each walking beam based between said inclined platesand united to the edges thereof. all three plates extending laterally beyond one side of the body, a bracket attached to the outer edge portion of the intermediate plate, and a sleeve supported by said bracket in axial alignment with said hub.

6. In a vehicle having longitudinal side frame members in the form of I-beams; said I-beams being notched upwardly in two transversely aligned zones, a Jackshaft assembly comprising housing sleeves fitted into the notches, supporting means surrounding said sleeves within the notches and secured to said I-beams, a plate secured to each I-beam at each side of its notch,

and each or said supporting means having a pairot integral wings closing the notches, said wing having integral upwardly facing lugs that are spaced apart lore and sit lust suillciently to confine a pair of said plates;

7. In a vehicle of the class described, a pair of longitudinal side frame members having upwardly formed vertical slots at transversely aligned zones, a sleeve fitted within each slot andhavingailangerigidlysecuredtotheassoelated longitudinal .irame member, a cross member having its ends extending outwardly through said sleeves. means secured to said frame memberstoclosethebottomsoithesiotaanda suspension beam pivoted on each end of said oross member.

GUSTAV]! A. commune.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,707,535 North Apr. 2, 1929 1,741,425 Masury Dec. 3!, 192: 1,850,942 Rockwell Mar. 22, 1982 1,887,042 Rogers Nov. 8, 1932 1,918,289 Remde July 18, 1933 1,925,586 Judd Sept. 5, 1938 2,124,047 Allin July 19, 1938 2,307,811 Townsend Jan. 12, 1943 2,311,252 Reid lab. 16. 1943 2322.279 collender a. June 22, 1948 2.888.988 Sullivan Oct. 18. 1249 2.39am n w Apr. 3. 1m 

